New drug that makes targeted attacks on cancer cells

A new cancer drug that only becomes active when it is absorbed by a tumour cell. This means that patients experience fewer side effects and that little damage is caused to healthy cells.

Breast cancer is one of the conditions it can be used for. The technology developed by Synthon attaches an antibody capable of detecting certain proteins on cancer cells to a substance highly lethal to cells which is only released and activated inside the tumour cells. The first drug that Synthon developed with this ADC technology, SYD985, recognises a protein that can be found on certain types of tumours, including breast cancer tumours, but also on those involved in other types of cancer, such as stomach, endometrial and bladder cancer.